


Whispers in the Breeze

by Sasseraph



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:41:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22063468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sasseraph/pseuds/Sasseraph
Summary: On his first night after being reawakened, Link reflects on the strange voice he heard from the tower.
Kudos: 12





	Whispers in the Breeze

_Remember…_

Link remembered. He remembered waking up cold, alone, and terrified. He was a blank, silent slate with no recollection to guide him, nor a reason why. Link was confused. Afraid. Lost.

_Try… Try to remember…_

Link remembered nothing. He sat now under the blanket of stars that cloaked the sky, dangling directionless legs over the ridge. The shrine's entrance gaped behind him - his shrine - where'd he awoken not hours ago. The night brought a chill, but in truth he felt it warmer than the cool air of the tomb where he'd awoke.

_You have been asleep for the past 100 years._

The voice he'd heard from the tower replayed in his mind, each time taunting him with a freshly unnerving chill. Gazing out over the plateau where he was confined, its scents and sounds combined, the hylian found himself suppressing yet another kind of shiver. If perhaps he was not alone, he wondered if the people here would take such a scene for granted. But in a state where the world was new, Link found it a mesmerizing sight to behold. A soft glow of green flickered above the trees, an apparent game of chase between the glowing bugs, oblivious to the plight beyond the trees. Behind the lively forest rolled unending mountains, no more than an outline in the darkened light, and even the distant volcano breathing ash into the sky presented a friendly image in the dead of night. It was the perfect picture, and yet beyond that…

_The beast…_

Link could scarcely make out the castle in the distance, but he knew with certainty that it was there. He had seen it himself from his perch up on the tower, the sinister aura that enveloped it. Nearing the grounds seemed a sentence to death.

_When the beast regains its true power, this world will face its end._

Link drew a long breath, taking in the masterpiece that was only the plateau he'd been dumped on. It was too beautiful to end. He wasn't sure he believed it could. Yet all the same, the anonymous words that had been shared with the boy left an air of truth he wished he couldn't feel. As stunning as the land may be, it was inevitably dying, and he knew it. On the surface it wasn't too clear, but deep down Hyrule itself teetered on edge, awaiting the final blow. 

Pulling his knees to his chest to ponder this thought, Link nearly jumped at the gentle hand on his shoulder. He faltered, drifting his eyes up to meet the old man that had welcomed him to this land, part of his own hair whipping his face as he spun. At least he wasn't completely alone. "May I sit?" Link didn't answer. The man didn't seem to expect him to. Crouching with the young boy by the ledge, the old man eased himself down until the hylian pair sat side by side to overlook the peaceful plateau. "It's a beautiful night," the man murmured, echoing the boy's own thoughts, though to an extent of less extremity. He wondered if the elder could sense the same sorrow that the land faintly emit. They sat together for a while, listening to nothing but the winds whispering in their ears, and watching the shadowed display of nature that stretched out before them. He felt he could sit there forever.

_You must hurry, Link._

Link was in no rush, nor appeared his companion. The sparkling sky didn't make him sleepy, as he'd had enough rest to last a lifetime, but instead it made him feel more alone than he would have thought possible. Although he sat amongst what he assumed a friend, it wasn't hard to reflect on the alternative. They may not be alone, but perhaps together, they were. Perhaps there was no one else left. Link lowered his gaze to his lap, staring at nothing as the concept sunk in, disregarding the stranger's eyes that followed. A long silence ensued, until at last the man rose to his feet, averting his head to the moon high above. "It's getting late," he observed in a quiet tone, untucking a beard of clouds from his coat. "Why don't you accompany me at my fire tonight? Far too cold to be up here all alone."

The young hylian offered a grateful smile, giving the acquaintance a small nod and joining him where he stood. Link was no fan of the cold, especially after his chilling nap. The old man returned the friendly gesture, turning and taking his time to carefully pick his way down the slope with Link in tow, and in the peaceful night he could almost forget the ominous words that haunted what little memory he had.

_Before it's too late…_


End file.
